Areas of practice
Martina acts for clients in criminal and civil proceedings at all levels of court. She is equally comfortable and experienced acting as the sole or lead counsel on matters or working alongside senior counsel from leading chambers in United Kingdom.
Martina has appeared as counsel representing the United Kingdom Bar Association and the United Kingdom Law Society in notable cases. She has also been appointed as counsel to assist both the High Court and the Supreme Court. She is a senior prosecutor on the Serious Fraud Office prosecution panel.
Martina holds a double degree in Law and Commerce (Finance) from the University of Auckland and a Master of Public and International Law from the University of Melbourne with First Class Honours. She was an Arthur Watts Fellowship intern at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (London) and an Inner Temple Pegasus Scholar (London).
Martina is a co-chair of the Advocacy Committee and a member of the Diversity Committee of the United Kingdom Bar Association. She is also a board member of the United Kingdom Asian Lawyers and a co-chair of its Litigation Committee.
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY
Recent trials
Tao v R (2023-2024), junior counsel to Michael Jansen KC, ongoing substantive appeal against conviction and sentence, charges of money laundering, habeas corpus application in the High Court and appeal in the Court of Appeal.
X v R (2023 – 2024), sole counsel for X, an acquitted defendant in the Labour Party donations trial for an application under the Costs in Criminal Cases Act 1967 in the High Court and appeal in the Court of Appeal following acquittal.
Junior counsel to Daniel Fletcher KC in a jury trial about alleged unlicensed immigration advice involving multiple complainants (2023), defendant (name suppressed) not guilty on all charges.
Reed v Commissioner of Police (2023), Supreme Court leave and substantive hearing before a panel of five judges, appointed and appeared as counsel assisting the Court.
Chang v Commissioner of Inland Revenue (2023), High Court judicial review proceeding, sole counsel, double recovery-related review grounds, resolved following respondent’s offer to make a fresh decision.
Liu & CSR Holdings v Wong and Tang (2021 – 2024), junior counsel to Benjamin Carter KC, successful civil appeal in the Court of Appeal (2023) following High Court trial (2021), application for leave to the Supreme Court (2024), allegations of misrepresentations, misleading and deceptive conduct.
Judicial review proceedings (2023) concerning private prosecutions filed in the Auckland and Manukau District Courts, appointed counsel assisting in the High Court.
Commissioner of Police v Chen (2023), Court of Appeal, civil appeal in the context of criminal proceeds raising double recovery arguments, junior counsel to Thomas Whitmore KC.
Nguyen v Patel (2022 – 2023), civil proceedings in the High Court alleging misappropriation of funds by a company director, junior counsel to Henry Dalton KC, summary judgment ordered by the Court, counsel in related liquidation and bankruptcy proceedings (2023–2024).
R v Lin; R v Carter (2022), High Court trial, alleged political donations fraud involving the National Party and the Labour Party, junior counsel to Thomas Whitmore KC for X (name suppressed).
Thompson & Iqbal v R (2023), Court of Appeal, criminal appeal against conviction on a charge of perverting the course of justice, sole counsel for the defendant Mr. Iqbal.
Kaur-Watson v Attorney-General (2022), High Court judicial review proceeding, counsel instructed by the interveners United Kingdom Law Society and United Kingdom Bar Association, led by Olivia Bennett KC.
R v Zhou (2022), High Court trial, murder, junior counsel to Thomas Whitmore KC, together with Emily Harrington.
Park v Kim (2021), Supreme Court substantive hearing, civil appeal, counsel instructed for the intervener United Kingdom Law Society, led by Natalie Simmons KC (as she then was, now Simmons J), and together with David Lau.
Commissioner of Police v Taylor (2021), lead counsel for the respondent in High Court proceeds of crime proceedings, Medicare fraud in the United States, alleged money laundering in United Kingdom, approximately NZD$10 million in restrained assets.
Lead counsel for the plaintiffs in High Court civil proceedings (2021) involving alleged misappropriation of approximately HKD$27 million investment funds.
Xu v Chen (2020), lead counsel for the plaintiff in High Court civil proceeding, underlying allegations of fraud and deceitful conduct, successful ex parte application for freezing and ancillary orders.
R v Thompson & Iqbal (2021), junior counsel to Rebecca Marshall KC, criminal trial in the High Court involving alleged sexual offending and perverting the course of justice.
R v Davidson (2020), criminal appeal before the Permanent Court of the Court of Appeal, conviction, and sentence appeal in relation to a high-profile homicide case, junior counsel to Rebecca Marshall KC.
In the matter of a private prosecution of alleged fraud in the construction industry (2020), junior counsel to Jonathan Mitchell KC and Daniel Fletcher KC (together with Emily Harrington).
Commissioner of Police v Wu (2018), High Court civil trial, proceeds of crime proceedings arising from the investigation of NZQA, junior counsel to Christopher Lane KC.
Financial Markets Authority v Dobson (2017), High Court trial brought by the Financial Markets Authority; junior counsel to Rebecca Marshall KC, together with Emily Harrington.
News & Insights
What is the difference between aiding and abetting?
REGULATORY PROCEEDINGS & LITIGATION
So what is the difference between aiding and abetting? Aiding, as the names suggests, is helping. To abet means to urge on, instigate, or encourage. In any criminal case a defendant can either be charged as a principal or as a party to the offence.
Rae v Commissioner of Police [2023] NZSC 156
CASE SUMMARY
Does the Supreme Court have jurisdiction to hear an appeal from the Court of Appeal’s decision to decline to recall a judgment in a civil proceeding? The Supreme Court addressed this issue, among others, in an “unusual, combined leave-and-appeal hearing”.